Modern Interiors in Victorian Homes
Jane Eve Anderson and Salvesen Graham are currently working on transforming a Victorian townhouse into a more suitable contemporary rental property in South West London.
Even though the clients are looking to modernise it up, we have to be careful not to eradicate the lovely Victorian traditional features such as the cornicing and the fireplaces.
A room filled with lavish antiques and high-end modern chairs is a perfect mix to create Modern Victorian Style. Image Source: Andrew Flesher
Owning a character-laden Victorian home sounds splendid until you move in and discover that the ancient beauty runs throughout the home — including the wiring, roofing and windows. This creates kinks in your dreamy plans to remodel. It is important to respect the fact that these building are just not made the way modern ones are nowadays..
Despite being faced with these problems, the joy of owning a Victorian home is still strong for many. It is easy to understand why when these wonderful homes are so full of character unlike their modern lookalikes.
Aside from these costly and awkward issues, how can we mesh modern interiors into our ancient home? Or on the flip side, how can we take our modern home and decorate it with a touch of Victorian charm.
Meshing modern design with a Victorian flair can be done — in any home!!!
HERE are a few ideas:
- Add carved wooden pieces everywhere possible — not just in furniture, but in mirror frames, lamps, and picture frames.
- Buy high-quality furniture. Even if you are mixing modern furniture into your Victorian home, make sure it is the best quality that you can afford. Cheap factory-made furniture can ruin the aesthetic.
- Add a fireplace mantle. This gives a key Victorian focus to the room.
- Add marble. Whether you find an amazing marble-topped table or a carved marble statue, adding this wonderfully rich element promotes the high-quality aesthetic that Victorian homes boast.
I do harp on about colour quite a bit, especially in creating a Victorian/Georgian interior do not be scared of colour. These eras were full of colour, the more elaborate the more wealthy.
- Add panelling or dado framing like the image above, this is so effective and frames the whole room.
- Timber polished flooring creates a sleek luxury feel and is also hard wearing for the modern lifestyle!!
Lastly, try not to forget the detailing: knick knacks, paintings, lamps, mirrors, rugs and cushions with tassel trim all add to the effect.
Happy Styling!!
Jane Eve x